Tie stitching machine



June 23, 1942.

- R. NAFTALI -El' AL TIE STITCHING MACHINE HENRY INVENTORS RUDOLF NAFTALI VALENTINE NAFTALI FTALI June 23, 1942.

R. NAFTALl ETAL TIE STITCHING MACHINE Original Filed March 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS RUDOLF NAFTALI VAL ENTlNE NAFTALI HENR NAFTAL} M 2 ATTRNEY Patented June 23, 1942 FFECE TIE STITCHING MACHINE Rudolf Naftali and Valentine Naftali, Pelham Manor, and Henry Naftali, New York, N. Y., assignors to American Machine & Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Original application March 11, 1937, Serial No. 130,252. Divided and this application August 11, 1939, Serial No. 289,523

14 Claims. (01. 112-225) Our invention relates to sewing machines. More particularly, our invention is concerned with improvements to that type of sewing machines employed for stitching neckties, such for example as disclosed in our Patent No. Re. 19,653, dated July 23, 1935, in which there is employed a double pointed needle having its eye located between the points, the opposite 'ends of which, during the operation of the machine, are alternately grasped by the jaws of a pair of opposed needle bars arranged in alignment.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide for cooperative use with a sewing machine of the type herein described a novel and improved needle threader construction, characterized by its simplicity of construction and its high degree of usefulness and efiiciency of operation.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

Certain features shown and described but not claimed in this application are shown, described and claimed in our copending application, Serial No. 130,252, filed March 11, 1937, for Tie stitching machines, of which the present application is a division.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly sectional, of a tie stitching machine provided with a needle threader constructed in accordance with our invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the threading mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional View taken substan tially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, we have disclosed anv apparatus embodying our invention, such apparatus being of the type disclosed in our Patent No. Re. 19,653 and co-pending application Serial No. 32,148, filed July 19, 1935. Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, we have disclosed a sewing machine of the class above referred to, in which there is employed a double pointed needle 2|] having its eye located between the points, and which is caused to be alternately grasped by upper and 'lower needle bars 22 and 23, respectively, after piercing the fabrics of a necktie. to effectively sew a line of stitching therethrough. A pair of pivotally mounted rocker arms 25 and 26 connected to the needle bars'22 and 23 by links 21, and to a cam actuated plate '39 by means of links 29, cause synchronous oscillation of the said upper and lower needle bars to alternately clutch the needle 20 in the mannerdescribed in said Patent No. Re. 19,653 and co-pending application Serial No 32,148. d v I In the operation of sewing machines of the character herein described for stitching neckties, where a separate thread of suitable length is employed for stitching each necktie, it is necessary to rethread the needle after the completion of the stitching of each necktie. Since in actual manufacturing practice a great many neckties are stitched on a single machine in one day, it is highly desirable that the threading of the needle after each tie has been stitched, be accomplished with a minimum expenditure of time and with great accuracy, lest the needle be broken in the threading operation. 7

By our invention, therefore, we have provided an improved construction of the needle threading mechanism to facilitate quick threading thereof, and adapted for cooperative use with a novel construction designed to insure proper positioning of the eye of the needle, so that no loss of time will occur in manually adjusting the needle to be in proper alignment with the threader, such novel construction being the subject matter of our copending application, Serial No. 289,522, filed August 11, 1939.

For quickly and automatically threading the needle, we have provided the following improved construction, clearly shown in the drawings: A threader 3|, having a threading hook 32 at one end thereof is mounted in a longitudinal bar 33 by having a portion 3|a adjacent the other end of said threader slidably received in an opening 34 in said bar. The threader 3| may be rigidly held in the opening 34 by means of a set screw 35, and the portion thereof which faces the needle 20 is wedge shaped to facilitate entry of the said threader into the needle 20. It is noted that the threader 3| is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the longitudinal axis ofv the needle 20. The bar 33 is slidably mounted in a stationary block 36 and is designed to slidably move in a guideway 31 in a horizontal direction toward and away from the needle 20. The block 36 may be fixed to the frame F of the machine in any suitable manner, or may be integral therewith, if desired. A plate 38 is employed in the guideway 31 and is adapted to frictionally contact the sliding bar 33, said plate being resiliently held in engagement with said bar 33 by means of springs 39 operating in opening 40 in the block 36. One end of each of the said springs 39 is adapted to press against the plate 38, and the other ends of said springs 39 are designed to press against the bent over portion 36a of a plate 35b, forming a front and partial top cover for the block 36. By the above described resilient construction and wedge on the threader, the sliding bar 33 carrying the threader 3| will automatically adjust itself to variations of alignment, and thus be prevented from sticking.

The threader hook 32 is normally held away from the needle 20, in a position such as shown in Fig. 1, by means of a spring 4| having one end thereof attached to the bar 33 and the other end thereof fixed to a portion of the frame F of the machine.

To thread the needle in preparation for stitching another tie, the bar 33 is slidably moved toward the needle against the action of the spring 4| until the hook 32 penetrates the eye of the needle. The thread T is then looped over the hook 32 and the bar 33 released, causing the spring 4| to carry the threader hook 32 out of the eye of the needle 20, carrying the thread T with it through said eye. To facilitate the movement of the bar 33, there is provided a lever 45 pivoted to an upwardly extending portion 35c of the block 36 by means of a pivot 46. The lower end of the lever is operatively connected to the bar 33 by means of a pin 41 on said bar projecting through a longitudinal slot 48 in the front plate portion 35b and operating in a slotted aperture 49 in said lever 45.

A projecting pin 50 suitably positioned on the bar 33 may be employed as a stop means to limit the forward movement of the threader 3| after the hook portion 32 has pierced the eye of the needle 20.

In Figs. 2 and 4 there is shown a device cooperating with the above described needle threading mechanism for automatically grasping and holding one end of the thread T after it has been threaded in the eye of the needle. Such device is similar in function to the device shown in our said co-pending application Serial No. 32,- 148 and comprises a pair of pivotally interconnected jaw members 53 and 54 supported on the frame F, which are normally held in effective or closed position by a spring 55. The grasping device is so designed that when the threader 3| is moved toward the eye of the needle 20 by pivotally swinging the lever 45 as hereinbefore described, the jaws 53 and 54 will be automatically spread apart against the action of the spring 55 by means of a roller 56 rotatably mounted on the lever 45 at the lower end thereof, and which is adapted to ride upon a cammed surface 531]. of the jaw 53 to swing into the said jaw on the pivot 51 away from the jaw 54. As a result of the action just described, the threader 3| is permitted to pass freely between the jaws 53 and 54 to pierce the eye of the needle 20 and to return, carrying the thread T back between the open jaws 53 and 54 until the roller 56 has passed off the cammed surface 53a, at which time the jaws 53 and 54 automatically close due to the action of the spring 55 to grasp and hold one end of the thread T. The jaws 53 and 54 may be provided with toothed surfaces 531) and 54b to more firmly grip the thread T. After the complete stitching of a tie, the held thread is automatically released in a manner described in our copending application Serial No. 32,148.

It is seen from the above described operation of the needle threader that it may be most efiiciently employed when used in cooperation with some means for causing the needle 20 to come to rest when the needle eye is directly in proper alignment with the threader 3 It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of a needle, means for causing said needle to reciprocate in a straight line path, a needle threading mechanism, said mechanism comprising a member provided with a wedge shaped entering portion and a hook, both adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, means for moving said member toward and from said needle in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of reciprocation of said needle, and means to permit said member to be moved parallel to the direction of travel of said needle whereby said member will automatically adjust itself to variations in alignment of the eye of the needle.

2. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of a needle, means for causing said needle to reciprocate in a vertical direction, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, means for moving said member in a horizontal direction toward and from said needle, and means to permit said member to be moved parallel to the direction of travel of said needle whereby said member will automatically adjust itself to variations in alignment of the eye of the needle.

3. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of a needle, means for causing said needle to reciprocate in a vertical direction, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a wedge shaped entering portion and a hook, both adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, manually manipulative means for causing horizontal movement of said hook toward said needle to pass through the eye thereof, resilient means to permit said member to be moved parallel to the direction of travel of said needle whereby said member will automatically adjust itself to variations in alignment of the eye of the needle, and means for automatically causing movement of said hook away from said needle when said manually manipulative means is released.

4. A sewing machine having a double pointed needle with an eye located between the points, said needle being alternately clutched by a pair of upper and lower needle bars, the axis of said eye moving in a single plane, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook at one end thereof adapted to pass through the eye of said needle, said member being mounted on a holder for movement therewith, said holder being slidably mounted on said machine, in such position as to permit said hook to pass through the eye of said needle only when said needle is clutched by said upper needle bar, and means to permit said holder to be shifted so as to allow said member to be moved parallel to the direction of travel of said needle whereby said member will automatically adjust itself to varia tions of alignment of the eye of said needle.

5. In a sewing machine of the class wherein a double pointed needle with an eye located between the points is alternately clutched by a pair of upper and lower needle bars, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a wedge shaped entering portion and a hook at one end thereof, both adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, said member being mounted on a holder for movement therewith, said holder being slidably mounted on said machine, in such position as to permit said hook to pass through the eye of the needle only when such needle is clutched by said upper needle bar, means for normally maintaining said hook portion of said member away from the eye of said needle, and means to permit said holder to be shifted so as to allow said member to be moved parallel to the direction of travel of said needle whereby said member will automatically adjust itself to variations of alignment of the eye of said needle.

6. In a sewing machine of the class wherein a double pointed needle with an eye located between the points is alternately clutched by a pair of upper and lower needle bars, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook at one end thereof adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, said member being adjustably attached to a holder for movement therewith, said holder being slidably mounted on said machine, means to permit said holder to be shifted so as to allow said member to be moved parallel to the direction of travel of said needle whereby said member will automatically adjust itself to variations of alignment of the eye of said needle, and means comprising a spring for normally urging said hook portion of said member in a direction away from the eye of said needle.

'7. In a sewing machine of the class wherein a double "pointed needle with an eye located between the points is alternately clutched by a pair of upper and lower needle bars, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a wedge shaped entering portion and a hook at one end thereof, both adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, said member being attached to a holder for movement therewith, said holder being slidably mounted on said machine, means comprising a spring for normally urging said hook portion of said member in a direction away from the eye of said needle, resilient means to permit said holder to be shifted so as to allow said member to be moved parallel to the direction of travel of said needle whereby said member will automatically adjust itself to variations of alignment of the eye of said needle, and means for guiding the movement of said member in a direction toward said needle and against the action of said spring, so that the said hook ortion may pierce the eye of the needle to thread the same.

8. In a sewing machine of the class wherein a double pointed needle with an eye located between the points is alternately clutched by a pair of upper and lower needle bars, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook at one end thereof adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, said member being attached to a holder for movement therewith, said holder being slidably mounted on said machine, means comprising a spring for normally urging said hook portion of said member in a direction away from the eye of said needle, means for guiding the movement of said member in a direction toward said needle and against the action of said spring, so that the said hook portion may pierce the eye of the needle to thread the same, a pair of cooperating thread holding jaws associated with said needle threading mechanism, and means for normally urging said jaws into gripping engagement with each other to hold one end of the thread after it has been threaded through the eye of the needle.

9. In a sewing machine of the class wherein a double pointed needle with an eye located between the points is alternately clutched by a pair of upper and lower needle bars, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook at one end thereof adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, said member being attached to a holder for movement therewith, said holder being slidably mounted on said machine, means comprising a spring for normally urging said hook portion of said member in a direction away from the eye of said needle, means for causing said member to move in a direction toward said needle against the action of said spring, so that the hook portion will pierce the eye of the needle to thread the same, a pair of cooperating thread holding jaws, means for normally urging said jaws into gripping engagement with each other, and means associated with said member moving means for causing said jaws to spread apart.

10. In a sewing machine of the class wherein a double pointed needle with an eye located between the points is alternately clutched by'a pair of upper and lower needle bars, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook at one end thereof adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, said member being slidably mounted on said machine, means comprising a spring for normally urging said hook portion of said member in a direction away from the eye of said needle, means for causing said member to move in a direction toward said needle against the action of said spring, a pair of cooperating thread holding jaws, means for normally urging said jaws into gripping engagement with each other to hold one end of the thread after it has been threaded through the eye of the needle, and means associated with said member moving means for causing said jaws to spread apart, said hook portion of said member being adapted to pass between said spread apart jaws while traveling toward and away from said needle eye.

11. In a sewing machine of the class wherein a double pointed needle with an eye located between the points is alternately clutched by a pair of upper and lower needle bars, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook at one end thereof adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, said member being slidably mounted on said machine, means comprising a spring for normally urging said hook portion of said member in a direction away from the eye of said needle, means for causing said member to move in a direction toward said needle against the action of said spring, so that the said hook portion will pierce the eye of the needle to thread the same, a pair of cooperating thread holding jaws, means for normally urging said jaws into gripping engagement with each other to hold one end of the thread after it has been threaded. through the eye of the needle, and means associated with said member moving means for causing said jaws to spread apart and to remain apart for a predetermined period of travel of said member.

12. In a sewing machine of the class wherein a double pointed needle with an eye located between the points is alternately clutched by a pair of upper and lower needle bars, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook at one end thereof adapted to pass through the eye of the needle, said member being attached to a holder for movement therewith, said holder being slidably mounted on said machine, means comprising a spring for normally urging said hook portion of said member in a direction away from the eye of said needle, means for causing said member to move in a direction toward said needle against the action of said spring, so that the said hook portion will pierce the eye of the needle to thread the same, a pair of cooperating thread holding jaws, means for normally urging said jaws into gripping engagement with each other to hold one end of the thread after it has been threaded through the eye of the needle, and means associated with said member moving means for causing said jaws to spread apart and to remain apart for a predetermined period of travel of said member, said predetermined period being equal to the time during which the needle has been effectively threaded.

13. In a sewing machine of the character described, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a hook adapted to pass through the eye of a needle, means including a guideway for reciprocating said member, and means to permit said member to be shifted parallel to the direction of travel of the said needle, said last named means comprising a resilient support for one of the faces of said guideway.

14. In a sewing machine of the character described, a needle threading mechanism comprising a member provided with a wedge shaped entering portion and a hook, both adapted to pass through the eye of a needle, means including a guideway for reciprocating said member, and means to permit said member to be shifted parallel to the direction of travel of the said needle, said last named means comprising a spring support for one of the faces of said guideway.

RUDOLF NAFTALI. VALENTINE NAFTALI. HENRY NAFTALI. 

